


you can be the air that i breathe

by fonulyn



Category: Biohazard | Resident Evil (Gameverse)
Genre: Almost Drowning, Chris is there for like a second, Getting Together, Kissing, Leon saves Piers's pretty ass, M/M, Piers Nivans Lives, Piers is alive and happy and healthy, and about to score himself a boyfriend, but the threat of drowning?, lol, or not really even, talking about feelings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-20
Updated: 2020-05-20
Packaged: 2021-03-03 04:20:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,067
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24288802
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fonulyn/pseuds/fonulyn
Summary: It wasn’t the first time Piers got punched in the face by a gigantic BOW so hard that the hit sent him flying. It was, however, the first time he was sent careening off a bridge and into the river below. And it was, definitely, the first time Leon saved his life.
Relationships: Leon S. Kennedy/Piers Nivans
Comments: 6
Kudos: 39





	you can be the air that i breathe

**Author's Note:**

> reposting this ficlet from tumblr bc Theo told me to ;D (and bc I kind of like this one)

It wasn’t the first time Piers got punched in the face by a gigantic BOW so hard that the hit sent him flying. It was, however, the first time he was sent careening off a bridge and into the river below, with such force the impact pushed all air from his lungs. Instinctively he drew in a breath but instead of air it was water that filled his mouth and nose, but that didn’t stop his body from inhaling again, before his conscious mind even registered what was happening. 

His desperate thrashing attempts to get back closer to the surface felt utterly inadequate, although he was a good swimmer, water was in his element under normal circumstances. Yet now it felt like there were weights tied to his feet, like his limbs weren’t doing what they were supposed to. 

Then there was a tug to his vest, pulling him upwards. He registered a strong arm slipping around his chest, under his arm. Everything happened so fast he didn’t have the chance to even process it, not before he was coughing out water, desperately trying to clear his airways, on the riverbank on his hands and knees. Distantly he heard the sounds of the battle, the roars of the monster so pained it was probably dying. 

When inhaling actual air was more natural, hurt less, Piers allowed himself to fall sideways. He sprawled out on the ground, flat on his back, staring up into the sky. Dark clouds were gathering rapidly, great, it was going to rain any second. That was what he needed, more fucking water. 

"You okay?” A familiar voice pulled his attention, and Piers turned his head a little. Only for his heart to forget how to beat properly. Leon was kneeling next to him, absolutely drenched, his hair plastered on his face and still dripping water. And Piers didn’t know whether to focus on the fact that Leon still managed to look absolutely breathtaking like this, or to the fact that Leon had apparently dived right after him. 

A little dumbly, Piers managed a nod. “Yeah,” he croaked, coughing to make his voice work properly. “Yeah. I am.”

“Fucking hell, never do that to me again,“ Leon huffed out, clearly relieved beyond anything. He patted Piers’ cheek a little, but then left a warm palm onto his neck, slowly stroking the spot underneath his ear with his thumb. He didn’t even seem to be aware that he was doing that. Heavily he fell to sit right next to Piers, still leaning over him. 

The words startled a laugh out of Piers. “To _you_? I was the one who almost drowned.” He smiled a little, his heart doing a happy little skip when Leon smiled right back. “Thanks. For, you know. Not letting me.”

“Anytime,“ Leon answered automatically. He took a moment to look at Piers, his eyes intense, and only now seemed to realize where his hand was. He didn’t remove it, though, but slid his palm upwards until he was cupping Piers’ jaw. He opened his mouth to speak, and whatever it was that Piers expected from him, it definitely wasn’t “Can I kiss you?“

All Piers could do was nod dumbly, followed by another a little more enthusiastic one, but then there was a hot mouth on his own and he was again robbed of his breath. Instinctively he brought a hand to the back of Leon’s head, fingers tangling in wet hair, and Leon took that as a sign to move in and kiss him harder.

When it broke, they were just staring at one another, Leon’s hand on Piers’ jaw and Piers’ hand in Leon’s hair. And although Piers wanted to act all suave, wanted to flirt and to joke and to appear all confident, all he managed was a breathy, confused “I thought you didn’t want me?“

They had been flirting for ages before Piers had finally made a move, an actual, serious move instead of the innuendos and ambiguous jokes they’d kept firing at each other for so long. And Leon had seemed honest-to-god _spooked_ by it, had all but run away. And Piers had nursed his broken heart and tried his best to get over it. And _this_? This didn’t match up with _that_.

“I’m...” Leon trailed off, closed his eyes and sighed. He took a second to find the words, but then finally continued almost tentatively. “I’m sorry about that. It was such a dick move to just... ghost you. But it isn’t that I don’t want you.“ 

Finally Leon opened his eyes, looked straight back at Piers, and his voice sounded oddly choked as he went on. “It’s that I want too much.”

“What are you—” Piers started, but the moment was cut off by the thunderous sound of footsteps approaching them, several voices yelling in unison. They pulled their hands back, even if Leon remained still sitting right next to where Piers was lying on the ground, and within seconds they were surrounded by worried, friendly faces.

It was Chris who bent down, taking a long look at both of the others to see if they were unharmed. “You okay?” he asked, vaguely addressing them both, and receiving twin nods as an answer. “We cleared the bridge. Medics are on their way. Can you survive here alone for a minute?”

There was a sense of urgency to his voice and it was obvious he would’ve preferred to stay, but his worries were eased by seeing that the two seemed to be fine. And the mission was pressing on, the need to move forward pulling at him too.

“Yeah, you go,” Leon nodded immediately. “We’ll be fine.”

With a groan Piers sat upright, pulled his knees up and leaned his arms on them. He waved a little as if to show he was really all good, watching the others depart. It left him and Leon alone again, but something about the mood had shifted and Piers didn’t know how he could approach the topic again. 

Then there was a warm palm on his shoulder, and when he looked up Leon was smiling. “I could try to make it up to you?” he suggested, almost tentatively. “If you’ll let me?”

There was really no doubt about Piers’ feelings on the matter. Not when he was grinning so hard his face kind of hurt. “It’s a date.”


End file.
